The environmentally friendly household cleaner

Alternative Cleaners

Our supermarket shelves are filled with household cleaners, many over-packaged and over-priced. Some of them also contain very strong chemicals, which can pollute the environment and pose health hazards. There is a safe, simple alternative which also gives value for money.

Bicarbonate of Soda - also know as Sodium Bicarbonate or Baking Soda - does not pollute the environment, is an inexpensive alternative for safer home cleaning and is easily available at all supermarkets.

Helpful Household Uses

• Bi-carb is an effective general purpose cleaner. Make a light paste with water for use as a mild abrasive to clean baths, basins, mirrors (let dry then polish off) tiles, shower recess (doesn’t scratch the glass), laminates and the toilet bowl.
• Apply the paste to a warm oven and leave overnight for a dirty oven or apply paste to a cold oven them warm for 30 minutes and wipe off for regular cleaning.
• Unblock drains by dissolving bi-carb in boiling water.
• Fridges can be deodorised with bi-carb - just put an open packet in the fridge after cleaning.
• Grease - remove by pouring hot water on stains and covering with dry bi-carb.
• For dirty saucepans that don’t respond to steel wool, add cold water and one to two teaspoons of bi-carb to the pot and bring to the boil. When cool, clean off with steel wool.
• Bi-carb as a pre-soaker, for soiled nappies, removing mould or just stubborn stains dissolve 45g of bi-carb in warm water, let soak, wash in hot soapy water and then dry them in the sun.
• As a whitener - 2 teaspoons into half bucket cold water and soak for 30 minutes, wash normally.
• Try cleaning teeth with bi-carb and rinse with warm water.
• For musty smells in the carpet try bi-carb soda sprinkled on and left overnight, then vacuum off.

These are but a few situations where non-toxic alternative cleaners can be used in place of environment-polluting chemicals. Robin Stewart’s book "Chemical Free Home" is a 217 page guide to reducing the use of chemicals in the home. If you would like a copy, please forward a cheque or postal order for $14.95 to:

Wark McKenzie Pty Ltd

PO Box 174, ALTONA, VIC, 3018

You will not only save the cost of the book within the first month of using it, you'll be helping the environment as well.